The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 102 Never Forgotten
With a creak, Du Yuan pushed open the gate of the Pinglan Gong Temple. Inside, there were no accompanying statues, only a main statue standing in the center. Looking around, the temple walls were still there, but they had long since collapsed.

Only the plaque on the temple still retains its luster after a hundred years, bearing four gilded characters: "Lanping Shuizheng" (meaning "Peaceful and Just Waters").
The couplets on the left and right are no longer visible; all that can be seen are the long wooden boards with couplets carved on them that once hung here.

After all, the inside and outside colors are different.

Fortunately, unlike that other statue, it didn't have a large hole torn in its top.

Du Yuan knew that this person was the former governor of Qingzhou, Duke Pinglan, but she didn't know who he was.

It's really hard to know how to bring it up. They consider each other good friends, but Du Yuan doesn't even know the other person's name.

And it's clear that the problem lies more with myself.

Thinking of this, Du Yuan felt a wave of shame wash over her.

After wiping away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead.

Du Yuan glanced at the Mi River outside through the broken window again.

The life force of that creature, whether it was a golden dragon or a golden serpent, had been pulled into the water, but it was still struggling in its death throes, with most of its body exposed as it thrashed about on the surface of the river.

According to the news from the passersby, King Anqing is going to go into the water at the crack of dawn tonight.

Therefore, it seems that the person who triggered the Mishui Incident would have acted around 4 AM.

I just don't know why it's this time of year.

As for the so-called southwestern wronged souls and the concept of destiny, it's one thing for Anqing King to be fooled by the imperial power, but it would be truly foolish for Du Yuan, who has been observing from the sidelines, to take it seriously.

After a moment's thought, seeing that it was still early, Du Yuan began to tidy up the temple of Duke Pinglan.

It's so dilapidated, it's really in a terrible state.

I just don't have any decent tools on hand.

Even if they tidy up until nearly four in the morning, they might only be able to barely manage to get it to look presentable.

Thinking of this, Du Yuan helplessly bowed to the dusty statue:

"I'm sorry, I'm all alone, so I'm afraid I can only put together a barely decent place for you."

After saying that, Du Yuan, who had never dared to offer incense casually since their parting at the temple that night, took the initiative to do the work.

Using supernatural powers to control objects would be easy, but this man was a virtuous person who toiled to the death for the well-being of countless people.

Since there was still time, Du Yuan wanted to do it herself.

The effect might be mediocre, or even far less neat and pleasing to the eye than supernatural powers. But some things, Du Yuan felt, had to be done by hand to be truly effective.

Du Yuan had just bent down to tidy up when she heard rustling footsteps behind her.

Looking back, I saw an old man leading a family of four, carrying brooms, incense sticks, and other items, walking down the path.

The woman spotted Du Yuan at a glance and pointed at him, exclaiming to the old man:
"Father! This is the master I'm talking about!"

The woman was none other than the one who had chatted with Du Yuan earlier by the Mishui River.

Upon hearing this, the old man immediately led his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, taking a few quick steps to Du Yuan, and made as if to bow down in respect.

"This old man is a farmer from the foot of the mountain, my surname is Niu and my given name is Laoshi. This is my son Niu Dafu, my daughter-in-law Zhang Xiaohua, and my grandson Niu Xiaogui. Greetings, esteemed master!"

Seeing that the family of four was about to kneel down, Du Yuan quickly stepped forward and supported the old man's elbows:
"Oh, old man, this is too much! We've only just met, how can I accept such a grand gesture?"

The old man who was being helped waved his hands repeatedly:

"You are a truly capable master. My family and I are just farmers who toil in the fields for a living. When we meet you, we should naturally pay our respects with the utmost respect!"

Seeing that reasoning with her was ineffective, Du Yuan quickly stepped aside, revealing the statue behind her, and said:
“This is the temple of Lord Pinglan. If you want to worship, you should naturally worship Lord Pinglan. There is no reason for you to worship an outsider like me.”

Upon hearing this, the old man felt it made sense, so he cupped his hands in greeting to Du Yuan, and then led his family to respectfully set up incense and candles in front of the statue of Pinglan Gong.

Three incense sticks for each person, twelve for four people.

Wisps of smoke rose slowly.

To the four members of the Niu family, it was nothing more than ordinary incense smoke. Only Du Yuan saw it clearly: the wisps of incense smoke seemed alive, gently converging towards the statue and eventually disappearing within it. After paying their respects to the statue, the old man looked around in surprise and asked:
"Sir, were you perhaps tidying up the temple just now?"

Du Yuan nodded and said:
"Exactly."

Upon hearing this, the old man, his face filled with shame, said:

"Alas! It is truly my fault that the temple of Duke Pinglan has fallen into such disrepair."

Du Yuan was surprised:

"Why do you say that, sir? Could it be that you were once the temple keeper here?"

The old man waved his hands repeatedly:

"No, no! My family has been farmers for generations, and we hardly know any characters. How could I possibly become a temple keeper?"

"It's just that my home is closest to this Pinglan Temple, and my ancestors received great kindness from Pinglan Gong. Since I was a child, my family members have often come to sweep and take care of it."

Hearing this, Du Yuan's heart stirred slightly, and her gaze swept towards the path—no wonder it was overgrown with weeds, yet a path was still discernible.

His voice trailed off, and he lowered his head in shame.

"But ever since I caught a cold a few years ago and my health has deteriorated, I've only come here occasionally to offer incense, and haven't taken good care of it since."

Then he sighed repeatedly:

"The surrounding villagers have been very supportive of my family because we are still willing to come and worship at and repair the temple."

His son, standing behind him, quickly interjected, his voice tinged with anxiety:

"Father! I told you long ago, we're not temple keepers! How could we be responsible for such a huge thing as the temple falling into disrepair?"

Although the expert said that the red stain on the Mi River had nothing to do with Duke Pinglan, he was really afraid that others would think that way, and even more afraid that his father would unwittingly take the blame.

They are from a poor family, how could they afford to carry this?
But their words made Du Yuan's eyes light up with admiration.

"Old man, are you saying that not only your family hasn't forgotten Pinglan Gong, but the surrounding villagers haven't forgotten him either?"

"Of course we can't forget! We farmers along the river owe our lives to Lord Pinglan's kindness. How could we forget? That's right, that's right!"

As he spoke, he bowed to the statue with even greater shame.

They say they haven't forgotten, but even the temple has become like this.

But I am indeed old, my family is truly powerless, and the villagers are afraid of the imperial court. So who is really in the wrong?

Du Yuan had already walked to the statue, her gaze intense, and solemnly addressed it:
"His virtuous conduct has never been forgotten by posterity!"

Unlike the other person, no sound directly reached Du Yuan's ears, but a gentle breeze swept by, lightly easing everyone's fatigue.

Seeing this, Du Yuan laughed and helped the old man up, saying:
“Old man, you don’t need to worry. Lord Pinglan has never blamed you or the villagers! Besides, didn’t you come here today to repair the temple for Lord Pinglan?”

The old man was both surprised and delighted, but he also said with concern:

"But with so few people, can we really repair anything?"

"Hey, this move is focusing on the essentials rather than the substance, and besides, who said there aren't enough people?"

Du Yuan gently grasped the old man's arm and led him toward the path.

Then a few more men came along with tools, excitedly shouting in their direction from afar:

"Uncle Niu, my dad told us to come and lend a hand! I reckon the neighbors will be here soon too!"

This unexpected joy made the Niu family of four extremely happy.

Du Yuan turned back to the statue and asked with a smile:
"Is the Duke satisfied?"

A gentle breeze rustles through the willows, answering a chord with silence.

(End of this chapter)